Steve Reed, a former Cabinet minister under Sir Keir Starmer, has publicly criticised Prime Minister Andy Burnham's plans to devolve power away from London, warning that the strategy could alienate Labour voters in the capital and the south of England. Writing in The Times, Reed argued that Burnham's so-called "Manchesterism" model, which draws on his experience as Greater Manchester mayor, risks being perceived as benefiting other regions at London and the South's expense, potentially undermining Labour's support base in areas where it holds far more seats than in the "Red Wall".

Burnham is due to unveil a 10-year plan for Britain later this year, giving metro mayors greater powers over tax and planning, and has blamed deindustrialisation, austerity and Brexit for regional inequality outside London and the South East. Reed countered that London's economy is bigger than the next eight largest UK cities combined, that a third of London's children live in poverty, and that high housing costs leave many Londoners with lower disposable incomes than people elsewhere, insisting the rest of the country cannot be made richer by making London poorer.